Eskimo house building form



March 26, 1935. w, E, URSCHEL 1,995,692

ESKIMO HOUSE BUILDING FORM 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 7, 1951 ATTORNEY INVENTOR.

March 26, 1935.

w. E, URSCHEL ssmmo HOUSE BUILDING FORM Filed Dec. '7, 1951 3 SheetsSheet 2 INVENTOR.

BY WM ATTORNEY 7 March 26, 19350 w. E. URSQHEL ESKIMO HOUSE BUILDING FORM 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Dec. '7, 1951 INV NTOR. mam/ ATTONEY Patented Mar. 26, 1935 UNITED (STATES ESKIMO HOUSE BUILDING FORM William E. Urschel, Valparaiso, Ind. Application December 7, 1931, Serial No. 579,436

12 Claims.

This invention relates to a building structure and also to a form to be used in the construction of a novel spherical or partly spherical building. The building herein described may be used for living purposes, as for tourist huts and tourist refreshment buildings, for gasoline stations, or for any purpose for whichabuilding of an economically built spherical or partly spherical construction is practicable. v r

An object of the invention is to provide a building structure which can be used in the production of towers or domes havinga spherical contour as for the tops of churches, schools, or other buildings. 1 1 I Another object of the present inventionis to provide a building structure which is economical in construction, simple in design, operation, and adjustment. 3

Another object of the present invention is to provide a building form in which a concrete of low water to solids ratio may be used in the con struction of a building.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a building form which may be positioned and adjusted to produce a spherical or partly spherical building.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a building form" in which different thicknesses of wall maybe constructed'while maintaining the outer surface of the wall even, if desired, the projectionsdue to uneven sections of the wall being on the interior of the building.

Another object of the present'invention isto providea building device in which a shaping head bearing a given designmay be easily removed and interchanged with a second head bearing a different design. A

With the above and other objects in view, the invention further includes additional novel features and details of construction in a building form to be hereinafter more fully described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a complete form as used when constructing spherically shaped towers or domes; a

Figure 2 is an elevation of the design head, adjusted to conform to the wallsection of major diameter of a spherical building; 1

Figure 3 is an elevationof the design head adjusted to conform to a'wall section circumscribing the greater-diameter of a segment of a spherical building; 1

Figure 4 is a side elevation of a design head; Figure '5 is a plan view ofv the building shown in Figure 1 taken on the lines 55 of said figure; Figure 6 is a plan view of the building shown in Figure 1 taken on lines 6-6 of said figure;

Figure 7 is a fragmentary and outer view ofv a finished building made as herein described shown in perspective; 1 s

Figure 8 is a side elevation of a complete form as used in the construction of a building with a flat base, showing details of adjustment;

Figure 9 is a side elevation of a building embodying the invention showing the operations necessary in constructing a building of the shape of an entire sphere; and

Figure 10 illustrates a building form in a modi-, fied adjustment as 'used for preparing a sand mold having a spherical concavity. Like reference characters are used to designate similar parts in the drawings and in the descrip tion which follows.

Reference should be had to Figure 1. In said figure there is a vertically disposed standard 1 which is firmly anchored in a flanged base 2. Any standard means, as a set screw, may be employed to prevent the standard 1 from rotating in the base 2. A plurality of pins or bolts maybe distributed about the flange of base 2 to maintain the standard in a selected position and to prevent a lateral or angular displacement thereof. Such an arrangement is especially applicable to the device when it is employed in the construction of domes or towers, or other structures where a Wooden floor or scaffolding is available as a subbase.

For a building resting upon the ground the standard 1 is usually driven directly into the soil as shown in Figures 8 and 9. With the vertical member I placed inthis manner, the floor of the hut or house is laid thereabout and the build ing completed anterior to the removal of the standard. The hole left in the floor by the removal of the standard 1 may be filled in as desired.

Mounted upon the standard or post 1 near its upper end and arranged for rotation thereon is a sleeve 4. oppositely disposed in the walls of sleeve 4 are bosses which are internally threaded. Integral with the sleeve 4 is a flange member 7 the web of which is in plane normalto the axis of standard 1. A quadrant strap 16 comprising an arcuate section 3 and having an axis of origin coinciding with that of bosses or'projections 60 forms a part of sleeve 4. .The circular flange 7 has an ear 10 which radiates from the sleeve 4. The lower face of flange '7 is slidingly supported upon a flange 5, said flanges have ing an off-set hub 6. Suitable means are used to hold the hub 6 and flange 5 upon standard 1, thereby insuring a predetermined longitudinal position of sleeve 4 relative to said shaft.

At regular intervals and adjacent the periphery of flange 5 are apertures 8 and 9. The apertures 8 and 9 are at radii from the central axis of standard 1 as is a second aperture 64 in the ear 10, the latter being disposed to register consecutively with the first mentioned apertures as the sleeve 4 is rotated. A pin 11 passing through the aperture 64 and the aperture 8 or 9 registering therein is provided to lock the sleeve 4 in any selected angular position relative to the standard 1.

A stud 15 in each lug 60 serves to hold the opposed prongs 13 and 14 of a bifurcated member in a manner allowing movement of said member vertically about its pivot. The shanks of prongs l3 and 14 pass one on either side of the bracket strap 16. Bolts 17 are stationed in shanks of prongs l3 and 14 at either side of the strap 16 to provide means for drawing said shanks into close contact with said strap and thus fixedly determine an angular position for the shanks. A continuation of the said shanks extends into the trough of a channel member 12 where said shanks are removably secured by bolts or other suitable fastening means.

The channel member 12 may have an elbow intermediate its two ends so that the most extended section thereof will maintain plates in a lower position than would otherwise be possible and to avoid the limited angular movement defined by the arm engaging the face of member 5.

At the extreme end of the arm 12 is a loop 28 with its opening coinciding with the crosssectional area of member '12. Adjacent the web of arm 12 and free to slide within the loop 28 as a guide is a fiat measuring bar 21. The outer end of bar 21 carries a bracket 20 removably secured thereto by means of suitable studs.

In turn the bracket 20 has mounted inwardly of the device a form plate 18 having an inner surface conforming to surface of a sphere generated about a point midway the bosses 60. Nearer the opposite end of bar 21 is a slot 30 in parallelism with the greater dimension of the arm 12. Intermediate the slot 30 and the inwardly directed end of bar 21 are two apertures interconnected to opposed apertures in the base of an off-set bracket 22 by bolts 45. The extended portion of bracket 22 carries a wrist pin 24.

A second slidable member 27 is juxtaposed to bar 21 to cooperate within a boss 28 and between the flanges of arm or channel 12. The central portion of block 27 carries a perpendicular piece 26, the latter being opposed to the bracket 20. Depending from the member 26 is a shoe 19 presenting a carved face '70 complemental to form plate 18.

The compound lever 23 and a link 33 are operatively connected to the sliding parts disposed on channel 12 in the following manner. The lever 23 is pivotally anchored to a stem 49 pro- Jecting from the web of channel 12 and engages at its upper end the wrist pin 24 within a lineal slot '71. At a distance equal to that of slot '71 from the fulcrate member 49 and in the lever 23 is a pintle 35 engaging one of a plurality of holes 84 within link 33. The opposite end of the link 83 pivotally engages the shoe holding bracket 26 through the agency of a bolt '72.v Registering with slot 30 and somewhat shorter is a similar slot 29 in the slidable bar 27. The ends of slot 29 coact with a bolt 31 anchored in one of a number of threaded gauge apertures 32 in the web of channel 12, the shank of which projects through the apertures 30 and 29. A nut may be turned upon the free end of bolt 31 if desired.

The form plates of the instrumentality as above described do not abut at the ends of the space therebetween, to effect a complete closure, hence it is patent that any molding material placed therein for molding into the walls of a proposed spherical building must be plastic in nature.

However, when walls are made of a concrete consisting of Portland cement, a dry mix lends to a stronger and more permanent structure. It is highly desirable to keep the water to solid ratio as low as conditions will permit. Conventional mixing of concrete for structural purposes to a semi-liquid state is done for the convenience of handling, as where pouring into long spouts is necessary, or, it may be necessary that the mix flow into complex forms from its own gravitating force. For strength and weathering purposes a dry mix is superior.

Figure 1 illustrates one method of procedure followed to erect a dome on a building. The same steps are equally applicable to the erection of a small building or hut.

First, a cylindrical wall base '74 is cast, upon the top of which is fabricated the spherical structure. The nuts on bolts 67 are loosened to allow the dropping of channel 12 to position the plates 18 and 19 upon the wall 74, when said nuts are again tightened. Thus placed the space between the forms 18 and 19 is filled with a relatively dry concrete mix. To release the form plates from the resultant molded wall section, the lever 23 is operated from its lower end to turn it anti-clockwise about pivot 49, thereby drawing the plate 19 inwardly through the agency of connecting link 33 and sliding block 27. Likewise, and simultaneously, the cross-head 21 is propelled by the op posite end of lever 23 to move outwardly of the structure and carry the plate 18 clear of the newly molded section.

With the form plates in this spread position, they are displaced laterally a distance equal to their horizontal arcuate dimension by turning the sleeve 4 about the standard 1 during the displacement. The flange 5 supports the sleeve 4 in its selected position while the bolts 17, by pressing shanks of the prongs 13 and 14 in gripping contact with the quadrant strap 16, prevent any vertical deviation of the plates 18 and 19. With the form stationed at the successive position, the member 23 is operated clockwise (opposite to before) until the inward end of slot 29 is arrested by the stem of bolt 31 to estop further movement.

The form plates are by this movement retracted and spaced exactly as they were for the previous filling with the dry mix.

This process of shaping wall sections and moving and replacing the mold forms is repeated until a complete revolution is completed. Upon the completion of one tier by such revolution, the form plates are raised by loosening the bolts 17 and elevating the channel 12 so that a second tier may be laid upon the first laid tier. This process is continued until a small circular opening only large enough to permit operation of the exterior plate remains at the top. The cross head mend ber 21 and outer form is then disassembled from the device and withdrawn by lifting it vertically to slide the cross head without the channel 12. A further disassembly of the device by detaching the channel 12 from the member 65 provides for the withdrawal of the upper" end of said channel from the unfinished top opening. This relative small top opening is then completed by using a convex form plate having av curvature which plate is supported against the inner wall at the opening and then filling the opening with concrete. The outside of this top fill is troweled into shape while the under side is held in proper curvature by the convex form.

Frequently it is desirable to imprint a frieze about such a spherical structure. Itmay be desirable to have a regular formation of characters over the entire exposed surface. In either case, the objective is accomplished by attaching an adjustable face plate 18 having a raised portion 47 to the bracket 20. The construction of such a face plate is shown in Figures 2, 3, and 4.

It will be seen that the face plate 18 has three parts 39, 40, and 41, forming a border around a central design 37, and which parts are adjustable; thus providing a means to change the size of the border by loosening the cap screws 42 and moving the parts 39, 40, and 41 in or out as desired. The cap screws 42 are moved in the slots 43 to the required position, and then tightened, thus keeping the parts 39, 40, and 41 in the desired fixed position. Movableparts 39 and 41 have sleeves 44 formed .at one end of their under side in which each end of fingered member 40 moves when being adjusted, while fingers 39 and 41 slide in the raised portion 47 of the head 18.

When a face plate is used for impressing designs, the forms are moved equal intervals each time. An imprint of a design is made in the outer surface of the building for each shift of the form plates. Regular movements of the form plate are had by using the pin 11 in conjunction with the apertures 8 and 9 and 64. There are twice the number of total apertures asthere are stops made by the forms in the molding of a single tier of a house, hence the set of every other aperture 8 is used in making one tier, to result in a corresponding number of surface impressions. So as to lend a symmetrical appearance to the impressions left by the face plates, each succeeding tier contains the same number of impressions but has the entire group shifted that "re individual scores will lie halfway between those below as in checkerboard fashion (see Figure '7). In order to rotate the figures of alter nate tiers the two sets of apertures 8 and 9 are alternated as to use withthe pin 11.

. It is apparent that the circular tier sections as they recede from the middle section, become less in diameter. Therefore, it is manifest that the figures imprinted intoeach succeeding tier must be modified in size to provide for the same number being imprinted therein. The necessary size adjustment of the face plateto produce the smaller imprinted figures is made by loosening the cap screws 42 and shifting parts 39, 40 and 41.

When it is desired to decrease the thickness of the walls comprising the house as the house increases in height, such change may be had as illustrated in Figure 8. Here it will be noted that the completed wall base is to extend up to a shoulder 75 where the wall thickness may be decreased. Usually, it will be desired to obtain the thinner wall by forming the irregularities, or shoulders, on the inner surface as illustrated, and by bringing the inner form plate nearer the outer while the concrete mix is being packed therein. Three holes 34 will be observed in the cross arm link 33. A like number of apertures 32 in the channel 12 are similarly spaced as those designated by the numeral 34. 'Itwill be recalledthat the bolt 31 in a hole 32 abuts the end of slot 29 to limit the outward extension of the inner form plate 19. Therefore to permit movement of the sliding bar 27 and the plate 19 outward and nearer the outer plate, the bolt 31 is placed in a more forward hole.

Contemporarily, the link 33 is shifted forward to have the then registering and a more backward hole connected to the lever 23 by means of the pin 35. At this time, it will be made known that the slot 30 in the cross-head 21 is of sufficient extent that the termini thereof never come in contact with the bolt 31 during the movement of the cross-head, regardless of the aperture 32, in which said bolt is seated. With the inner form in the more outward position to provide for a thinner wall, operation of the forms is had in the same manner by shifting the lever 23 in an anti-clockwise manner to spread the forms and in the clockwise manner to close them. The movementof the forms is measurably halted each time by the bolt 31.

The novelty of this spherical structure is more emphatically impressed, especially in an independent building on the ground, if the rounded surface extends all the way to the ground, to produce the effect of a complete ball. In Figure 8, an excavation '76 is shown, which excavation extends entirely around a prelaid circular base 77. The trench or excavation 76 provides a space makingit possible to start the ovate walls below ground level. After the building is completed the circumscribing entrenchment may be leveled oil with .dirt to entirely conceal the flat bottom or floor 77.

The possibility of building a truly spherical structure is illustrated in Figures 9 and 10. The reference character '78 indicates a. molding material which has been dampened and packed. Centrally located relative to the molding material may be a pit 79 which is sunk into the earth. The molding material 78 is pressed into an ovate basin formation by attaching to the member 65 an arm similar to the channel member 12, but shorter and without an outer form assembly attached to the end. Then the inner form member comprising the shoe 19 is attached to the new member and in its most extended position to be traced over the concave surface of the basinlike form. Scrolls may be had in the shoe plate to form projections on the molding material to describe characters on the surface of the underwall molded thereby, and to space those char-=' acters in an arrangement as a continuation of those above imprinted by the outer face plate.

After the lower wall of the truly spheroidal building has hardened the molding material 78 may be removed, to leave the structure in the appearance of a large ball. The fioor portion extending down into the pit '79 serves as an anchorage to steady the house in an upright position and tokeep it from rolling out of place.

Ordinary perspicacity reveals that openings as doors or windows can be had in the walls of the present type of structure by laying the walls about a box frame in the conventional manner.

From the foregoing description of the construction of my building form, it will be seen that I have provided a simple, inexpensive, and efiicient means for carrying out the objects of my invention, and while I have described the elements best adapted to perform the functions set forth, it is obvious that various changes in form, proportion,

and in the minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the principles of my invention.

I claim:

1. A device for the construction of a spherical concrete building comprising a vertical stem, a member longitudinally fixed on said stem to rotate thereabout, an arcuate strap on said rotating member, a bifurcated arm pivotally anchored to said rotative member and adapted to removably engage said strap, said bifurcated member having an extension provided with opposed form plates, and means operatively connecting said plates whereby movement may be had therebetween, said bifurcated member and extension being disposed for angular displacement normal to the plane of rotation of said rotative member, and said strap member being adapted to maintain said arm and extension in a selected angular adjustment.

2. In a device for the erection of a structure having concave walls of concrete, an arm having aligned gauge apertures and a race, a lever pivotally secured to said arm, a cross-head in said race providing a linear aperture and bearing an outer form, a sliding member in said race and having an aperture in registry with said linear aperture, said sliding member bearing an inner form opposed to said outer form, a stop anchored in one of said gauge apertures and cotransgressing said second and thirdly named apertures, and means operatively connecting said cross-head and said sliding member to said lever whereby movement of said lever about its pivot propels said inner and outer forms oppositely, the movement under the influence of the lever being measurably limited by said stop engaging the aperture in said sliding member.

3. In a device for molding a wall, a face plate having a figure on the surface thereof and having slots, there being a section near an edge thereof having recesses therein, opposed and identical side pieces having fingers at one end, sleeves at the other end, and attaching means projecting therefrom and through the slots in said plate, and an end piece having attaching means projecting through another slot in said plate and a finger at its ends, the fingers of said side pieces telescoping into said recesses and the fingers on said end piece slidably projecting into the sleeves on said side pieces.

4. For constructing a spherical wall, a device comprising an arm, opposed members with forming faces arranged transversely of said arm, said members being longitudinally adjustable along the axis of the arm, anchoring means for said arm, and connecting means between said arm and anchoring means admitting of substantially universal movement of said arm about a point.

5. A device for constructing a. spherical wall and comprising a support member, a second member pivoted upon said support member, opposed plates relatively movable along said second member substantially radially of such pivot and having forming faces, said second member being freely movable upon said support member from a point coinciding substantially with the center of a sphere defined by the periphery of walls formed in said device.

6. A support, a member on said support having spaced-apart forming plates thereon, means for changing the position of said plates on said member, and a connecting means between said support and said member comprising a universal joint admitting of movement of said plates in planes coinciding substantially with the peripheral planes of concentrically arranged spheres.

'7. A device for forming a spherical concrete wall and comprising a support, an arm pivoted to said support for vertical and horizontal movement, and members having forming faces and movable along said arm.

8. A device for forming spherical concrete walls comprising a standard, an arm pivoted to said standard for substantially universal movement, and members at the free end of said aim having forming faces between which such wall is moulded.

9. For forming a spherical concrete wall, a standard, an arm pivoted to said standard for substantially universal movement relatively thereto,

and forming members relatively movable to one another at the free end of said arm.

10. For forming a spherical concrete wall, a standard, an arm pivoted to said standard for universal movement relative thereto and having means whereby its length may be modified, and i forming members relatively movable in respect to one another at the free end of said arm.

11. For forming a substantially spherical concrete wall, a standard, an arm pivoted to said standard for substantially universal movement, i

forming members at the free end of said arm, and means for holding said forming members in position to receive concrete therebetween, said holding means being operable to increase the space between said members.

12. For use in the forming of a spherical wall, a support member, an arm disposed for universal pivotal movement with respect to a point upon said support, and a form plate upon said arm for movement radially of such point, and means for locking said plate at a selected distance from such point.

WILLIAM E. URSCHEL. 

